What did the Apostle Paul mean in 1 Corinthians 15:8 when he said he was “born out of due time?” The Greek word he used refers to something that was unnatural; some even believe it refers to an unsuccessful abortion, that Paul was not destined to live, but he did. I tend to believe that Paul was speaking more spiritually than physically.

While the dates of their births are not certain, there seems to be little age difference between Paul and the other Apostles. Some think he was the same age as Jesus. Paul was trained in Jerusalem by the Jewish scholar Gamliel. He may have even seen or heard Jesus preach, but his devotion to Judaism would not accept this Man he saw as a threat to his heritage. As a result, he tried to stamp out what he saw as heretical teachings.

In this chapter, Paul talks about all the people who saw Jesus after His resurrection. Historical events with this many witnesses are always accepted as facts, except it seems for the resurrection of Jesus. Paul may not have encountered Jesus before, and he may be saying if he had that, he would not have persecuted the church. Maybe he’s wishing he had met Jesus sooner and that he could have been part of His earthly ministry.

Maybe, like each of us who occasionally look at our past, Paul was thinking about how different things could have been. But then Paul quickly turns his thoughts to the grace of God that has brought him to where he is, and he is thankful for the opportunity to serve God now. None of our wishful thinking can change where we came from, but God’s grace can change our future.

Our timing may not be God’s timing, but God can use us right here, right now!